Ever wonder what was going on beyond the walls of the Rotunda? Now you can experience it for…read moreyourself! Presented by Cincinnati's finest, the docents of Heritage Programs, this walking tour takes guests to see the non-public areas of Union Terminal and Cincinnati Museum Center. I'm a big fan of the Museum, but this tour blows the exhibits out of the water. It's fascinating! Here's what we saw: - Behind-the-scenes of the OMNIMAX theatre, including the room behind the big screen. (The screen is actually a dome made up of many, many tiny holes so that the sound can project into the audience. The sound system is behind the giant screen.) We also saw the archive reels of film that each weighed 200 lbs. and were 4 feet in diameter. Titles included everything from rafting at the Grand Canyon to a Rolling Stones concert. We were then led into the projection room, which is the big glass room outside the theatre entrance. From outside, you can see the reels of film being spooled through the projector. They spin super fast, and could probably cut off an arm. The projector also travels up an incline to show the film in the theatre. Ever wonder why the OMNIMAX tickets cost extra? Well, a replacement lightbulb for the projector costs $6,000 every three months. And that's just for the bulb! The OMNIMAX projector itsself cost $1.2 million and each film is $25,000! (Hey, there's over three miles of film on one spool!) - We went outside to the Union Terminal train yard and stood along side the tracks. The area is mainly used for commercial transportation now. We saw where the former concourses for Union Terminal were demolished during the renovation in 1990. There was also a secret tunnel from Union Terminal to the Post Office located on Dalton Street. In the tunnel, there were old 1910s wagons and motor carts from the 1950s that are still in use today. - We met the Facilities Manager, who took us on a tour of the mechanics room. We saw a huge color-coded scheme of four boilers and six coolers, and learned how hot and cold air is engineered from these systems. Surprisingly, heating and air conditioning is more complex than you'd think! The Facilities Manager did a great job of talking in layman's terms for the group and giving us interesting tidbits about the museum. Did you know the Museum's monthly electric bill is $50,000 and the gas bill is $30,000? In comparison, CMC's $13.00 admission is a bargain! - We met the preservationist at the Cincinnati Historical Society Library, saw his workshop, and learned how to properly care for and preserve photographs and books. Then he took us into the archive stacks (the room where all the artifacts are stored) and showed us pictures and maps from Cincinnati in 1778, told about the Civil War, Ruth Lyons, and many other tales. Tucked away downstairs, the Library itself is gorgeous, quiet, very well organized and free to the public. The collections contain more than 40,000 books, 50,000 pamphlets, 60,000 architectural drawings and over 1 million images. - We climbed several flights of stairs to the "high steel" of the Rotunda. We walked across the glass floor in the Rotunda window to view the mechanics of the Union Terminal clock (the one on the front facade of CMC.) The clock contains all of its original gears from the 1930's and is breathtaking to watch in action. - We climbed even higher into the "high steel" to the very tip-top of the Rotunda arch. We saw all of the support beams weaving the structure, and the handmade iron rivets. We also saw a wooden peg with a 6-inch diameter that was the main support for all of these beams in the Rotunda. Imagine, that entire structure dependent on a 6-inch peg! Hey, it's held up for 80 years and counting! The Behind-The-Scenes tour is four hours long and costs $30. Normally, I get restless after four hours straight, but I was immersed with all of the sights and stories! Heritage Programs docents are amazing at telling stories. Guests are learning about history but are having too much fun to notice. Our group was smiling, laughing, and joking with our docent throughout. Plus after four hours of walking, you get a great workout! The tour can be appreciated by anyone age 10 and older. I saw everyone from young tourists, to retired couples, to grandpa and grandkids enjoying themselves. I highly recommend taking the Behind-The-Scenes of Union Terminal Tour as your midday Saturday activity. It's a fantastic way to start out your weekend, and you'll have a whole new appreciation for Cincinnati Museum Center too!

My wife and I took our 3 year old son to see the holiday train display last month. We were able to…read morego thru part of the museum and see their trains as well before we even got to the holiday display. Well worth the trip (although the lighting is pretty dark in the train room of Cincinnati) and a very good value. Also a helpful staff and the Cincinnati Train Club was in Tower A and they were very, very hospitable and helpful!

The East Row Historic District in Newport is the second largest historic district in Kentucky!…read moreIt is a peaceful area lined with wonderful historic mansions and lots of trees, greenery and small parks. The best kept secret in the area: it is where a lot of Fairies and Elves cohabitate with humans. Some amazing artist started the tradition of placing Tiny Doors in the neighborhood. The idea got so popular, that now the population of Fairies and Elves increased and it is a pure JOY to walk around and notice the cute little doors everywhere. A wonderful idea for the little ones to go for a Tiny Doors hunt. I highly recommend for both adults and the kids. It is an amazing local initiative that brings a smile to Everyone's face!

Florence y'all water tower is a massive water tower painted red and white with the words of the…read moreKentucky city name And popular Kentucky slang "Florence y'all" written across the top. Being from Lousiville and at the tip of Kentucky off you travel anywhere else you pretty much drive through the entire state of Kentucky. I can say this interstate 71 roadside attraction is my favorite one to see when driving through the state. Coming from Lousiville it lets me know I am getting very close to the Cincinnati Ohio border and also is a beacon for places to eat and shop as it is located at the foot of a mall entrance. Overall very cool and fun tower. I love how it plays on the southern charm by infiltrating the word "yall".

It's Florence y'all. Anybody that's passed through Cincinnati going to Louisville or going anywhere…read morebetween Ohio and Kentucky has passed this numerous times. And it's always a fun little thing to say hey look it's Florence y'all that's kind of a gimmick in the city of Florence. They even name their baseball team for y'all's . So that's cool I like how they really focus on that and this is in the water tower it's really big and you can see it throughout the whole city so I had to take pictures of it and create your page. It's right next to the mall and you know it's just to meet novelty thing to check out.

Did you know Cincinnati is home to the World's Largest Unfinished Subway System?…read more In 1916, Cincinnatians had a dream: to relieve traffic congestion and improve health concerns by creating a rapid transit system underneath present day Central Parkway. Originally part of the Miami-Erie Canal, the unused waterway was drained, dug out by horse-and-plow, then filled in with concrete. The plan was to create a 16-mile loop of mass transit around the city, stretching from Race Street at Central Parkway, to Clifton, Norwood, Oakley, then back Downtown. The project progressed for ten years then came to a halt after a change in political leaders and financial troubles. The completed portion included six stations along a route spanning from Downtown to Norwood. In 1928, the Cincinnati Subway project was officially abandoned. Over the years, people tried to revive the subway system as well as proposing other uses for it, such as: a wine cellar, a mushroom farm, an aeronautic wind tunnel, and an entertainment venue similar to Underground Atlanta. The Cincinnati Subway is still in tact today. Two miles of tunnels are located underneath Central Parkway between Race Street to just north of the Western Hills Viaduct. Three of the stations remain; the other three were demolished in the 1950s to make way for I-75. While the concrete structure is complete, no rails, electricity, or trains were ever installed. The structure itself is in good condition, especially for being almost 100 years old. While it is off-limits to the public, Cincinnati Museum Center gives an annual tour of the subway in May; an excellent opportunity to go exploring in our city's deepest secret. The tunnels have the potential to be used for modern-day rail transit, with a few improvements, of course.

There's more to Cincinnati Museum Center than meets the eye. The Geier Center is home to all the…read moreadditional artifacts not on display at the museum. Archived are over 350,000 Cincinnati history artifacts and over 3.2 million items total. While not open to the public, historians and researchers can make an appointment to visit the facility. The state of the art building is climate controlled and receives new materials on a regular basis. Citizens are encouraged to donate any unwanted historical items to the Geier Center. They even have a saying: "If you're going picking, pick for us!" Artifacts include items from: the settlement of Cincinnati, the Civil War, machine tool industry, 1800s Presidential campaigns, 1800s everyday household items, early medicine, brewing, railroads, early broadcasting items, historic clothing and decorative fine arts. Other collections include artifacts about science and natural history. The Geier Center staff also share interesting historical tales, such as: - Local barbers often doubled as the dentist. He not only cut hair, but pulled teeth and did minor surgeries on people. He had a lot of bloody rags after the procedures and would wrap them around poles outside his establishment. Thus originated the red and white barbershop signage. If you would like to see new exhibits at Cincinnati Museum Center featuring fresh artifacts from the Geier Center, write letters to those in charge. Suggestions from the public are always welcome. - Doug McDonald, President & CEO - Sandy Shipley, Vice President of Exhibits Cincinnati Museum Center 1301 Western Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45203

Started in 1938, Cincinnati Railroad Club was created by a group of rail enthusiasts who organized…read moreexcursions on the Norfolk Southern Railroads. In 1992, the Museum Center invited the group to occupy Tower A, the main control tower, in Union Terminal. With over 300 members, the group restored the Tower to resemble its original 1933 architecture. The illuminated track diagram board, director's desk, and rotary candle stick phones still remain intact. Railroad Club members have a range of expertise, from the 1800's early iron horse, to trolleys, interurban rails, and the "golden age" of steam engines. As such, the Club maintains an extensive library collection including magazines, annuals, old photographs, and Union Terminal blueprints. While items cannot be lent out, the collection is available for members to read in Tower A on Thursday nights. Curious about the Railroad Club? Members open their facility to the public on Thursday evenings and weekend afternoons. In addition to seeing spectacular restored architecture from the 1930s, Tower A provides a breathtaking view of the rail yards neighboring Union Terminal. Pictures are encouraged. The Club even has a small gift shop with all sorts of local rail nostalgia for sale. If you're visiting the Museum Center on the weekend, be sure to stop by Tower A. It's one of the hidden secrets of our city! Annual Membership: $25.00 Public Admission: FREE

A very nice group of members were in Tower A at Union Terminal last month when my family and I went…read moreto see the holiday trains. They members present were polite and spent time with my 3 year old son and taught him about the blue reference light. He loves trains (as do I) and it was nice to see these men being kind and helpful to my son as well as to myself and my wife. They also have a terrific library and a terrific display in Tower A.

I am so excited that the Goose Girl Fountain is turned on for the season again! For me, this is a…read moretrue sign that summer is almost here. I think that this fountain adds so much to the promenade. This past weekend I picked up pastries and coffee from local restaurants and sat on the steps of the fountain to enjoy my breakfast. I had a great view of the promenade, and it was a wonderful start to my weekend!

The Goose Girl Fountain is located at the center of Mainstrasse Village. It signifies the German…read moreheritage of the area, as well as the history of farmers who raised geese in the Covington area. Only having graced the area since 1980, the sculpture was created by a Greek sculptor, Elefcherious Karkadoulias. He was commissioned by either the Covington Mainstrasse Committee or the Northern Kentucky Visitors and Convention Bureau, depending on which source you consult. The sculptor used a method known as lost wax, and worked for over a year and a half to create the bronze fountain, which is 15 feet in height. His daughter was the model for the figure that is based on the Grimm fairy tale, The Goose Girl. While eating outdoors in Mainstrasse, I've seen children leaning over the side of the fountain to torment the fish in the water.

While I was in the Versailles State Park area, I spent a little bit of time at Busching Covered…read moreBridge. If you're a Hoosier, and I'm a lifelong one, you simply don't drive by covered bridges. You stop. You look. You drive through. You ooh. You aah. You reminisce. It's actually in the Hoosier resident requirements. Seriously, the Busching Bridge is an example of the early 19th century Howe Truss design. This was really the early years of including metal in bridges, though this bridge is more of a modified Howe Truss. It's essentially at the entrance of Versailles State Park, though I incorrectly stated in my state park review that it's "within the grounds." Technically, it's right outside them. It is likely named after the Ernst Busching family, a popular family in the area at that time. It was built in 1885 by Thomas Hardman. Hardman was a builder who gained notoriety by rebuilding some of the bridges that had been destroyed by Morgan's Raiders during the Civil War. Hardman built 4 of the 7 covered bridges in Ripley County (only 2 remain - this one and one in Holton). The bridge contract stated the cost would be $20.80 per linear foot and was to be completed by October 20, 1885. The bridge is 15.5 feet wide, 16.5 feet high and 176 feet long, which means it should have cost approximately $3,500 to build, but for some reason Hardman was paid just $2,200 for this project. The Busching Covered Bridge was completely restored in 2005 and continues to carry traffic to this day!

Using my Google Maps app., Tony and I was easily guided to the location of the covered bridge…read more OMG, when you go down the hill and around the curve....there was the GORGEOUS Busching Covered Bridge. Red and gleaming in the sunlight. Located on Rt 20, South Perry Street in Versailles, IN. It is a one lane covered bridge that spans across Laughery Creek and constructed in 1885 by Thomas Hardman. It's FREE to cross and enjoyed. Located near the Versailles State Park entrance. Beautiful old bridge!!!!